House hunting for a business owner is a diversion. It does provide a diversion from my daily routine, but after not too long, I became so focused on this endeavor that I realize that this is going to be a massive diversion of my attention and of our funds. The market in Silicon Valley is moving up at roughly a 5% pace every month. This is the reason why we got beaten every time, even we offered $50,000 over asking, and possibly the reason why we will just decide to sit this one out.

Then, something very interesting came on the market. By interesting I don’t mean something that will cause us to spend our bottom dollar: I mean something that we had to go see and bring Chiara and our cameras along.

This is why:

The unit is entirely covered in tile. With the exception of the ceilings and a few, rare, surviving walls, it depicts Saint Francis and the Sun and what I think must be depictions of Assisi.

The unit is well laid out with two bedrooms and a den, an attached garage, two private patios, and an eye-popping asking price of $485,000. At 1102 square feet that is a whopping $440 per square foot. Far more than even the unit that just sold in the same complex and that was far more attractive. Take a look at it in detail on Redfin. It’s worth it!

Zillow thinks it’s worth less than $400,000. Let’s not talk about e-appraisal, which hasn’t yet figured out that the market is going in the other direction. On the other hand, it is located in a very attractive complex with a wonderful pool, and the schools are really good.

I think that it should fetch $468,000, but I would not be surprised if it sold for asking. In fact, given the craziness of the market today, I foresee 3 offers and a $495,000 winning bid. I will be curious to see how it pans out!

A few weeks ago we got a surprise visit from Gianni’s cousin, who happens to live less than an hour away from our office, and he was bearing gifts from Italy! Oh my, what could it be? We opened it right away and it was a gift for our daughter Chiara: a small blue t-shirt from the volleyball team that Gianni sponsors bearing the number 13. If you think that the number 13 is bad luck, you must know that, in Italy, the seat of countless superstitions, it has long been supplanted by the number 17 and has now found a new vocation as a lucky number.

Although this is a simple gift, it does say a lot about Italian people and culture. First, Italians love kids and always think about how to make their day a little brighter. Second, Italians can make you feel like you are part of the family (which comes with all the benefits I have mentioned in other posts and articles) and will not refrain from asking you a very time consuming favor (in this case Mario had to spend a half-day to deliver something to a perfect stranger–but in the end he made a new connection): so we fully expect to be on the hook. Gianni, if you are reading this, when you finally make it to California, I will arrange everything, including the bikes to go coast-to-coast.

I don’t like purses. Why? Well, the word “purse” ALWAYS implies that it is some sort of fashionable handbag that ladies carry. Any sort of bag a lady carries is automatically seen as a “purse”. That makes no sense to me. With that said, I am definitely not the type of person to carry a purse, a handbag, or what have you. All I need are pockets to carry my phone, keys and wallet and I’m ready to go!

My first impression of Marcopoloni was how it is a company that perpetuates passion, hard work and genuineness. That definitely is what Marcopoloni embodies, no doubt. The products being offered here are so full of life and character that you can’t help but get drawn to them. Well, let’s fast forward to when I had access to the Campomaggi catalog. Found my first Campomaggi creation pretty quickly, I’d say. Not only is it my first Campomaggi bag in general, it is a custom order! Named after the inventor of the helicopter, Enrico Forlanini, it is every bit as logical and practical as its namesake.

After carrying the Forlanini with me on my adventures, the bag has become an appendage of me (Notice how I use the word “bag” to keep the ambiguity of what it is alive. It’s a bag. Simple as that). What has changed since I have the Forlanini? Well, I still just carry my essentials, really. The typical phone, keys and wallet with the new addition of a sketchbook, a pencil, and mints (ginger mints, to be specific). The most important aspect of my bag is how it represents me. The ruggedness of Campomaggi’s signature distressed leather coupled with its simplistic, utilitarian design just makes so much sense to me. It symbolizes my ideals of keeping things simple and straightforward. Lastly, I truly feel that Campomaggi embodies what it is like to be true to yourself–to your roots–in all of his products. As someone who has never envisioned herself seeing any sort of need to carry a bag, my first Campomaggi bag has truly become the companion I never expected.

At Marcopoloni, we care about products that express the artisan’s genius and creativity. We expect to find that anywhere in the world, but, since I am Italian, Italy has been a major focus for our searches. It helps that amazing leather craftsmanship abounds in Italy.

But I am sure that you are already well aware that the opposite is also true: many Italian companies have taken advantage of the fact that only a percentage of the final product has to actually be made in Italy to get the “Made in Italy” label. That’s unfortunate because, as I have read on many forums about bags, customers no longer associate quality with an Italian product.

When I was a teenager, I was fortunate to travel a lot throughout every corner of Italy and to most Mediterranean countries. It was at that time that I started appreciating leather craftsmanship and the production process of leather goods. What I saw then has grown into my passion and is what I am trying to preserve now. When you you shop for one of our bags from Italy you don’t get a cheap bag that tries to profit from its Italian label. You get a bag that I am pretty sure you will have a chance to like because the artisan who made it put his experience and pride behind it.

When Emi and I got married in Portovenere, Italy, in 2007, we stopped by the leather shop in the picture. I probably do not need to explain that his craftsmanship was amazing. We tried to buy from him later but it was too difficult to communicate from the States. It is my unfulfilled dream to go back on a future anniversary and fill up my suitcases. Because that is our mission: to help you rediscover the soul that was infused into a product at the hands of an inspiring artisan.

2009 was the year when Emi uncovered some beautiful Campomaggi bags. We instantly fell in love and in a matter of months we were perusing the Campomaggi stock room ready to place our first order. That’s when the COLOMBO caught my attention: the vertical design was modern, manly, and appropriate for use with a netbook or tablet. When we received our first shipment, the one that featured the reinforcement leather strips that had absorbed the distressed olive brown color differently became my pick.

Since then, I have used my COLOMBO Distressed Leather Messenger Bag practically every day, and only rarely applied lotion to spots that got scratched–I meant to do it more often but I never seem to get around to doing it. The bag has been with me every day at work and on every travel occasion: it always seems to be the right bag for my tablet and netbook whether or not I need to carry both.

First the cons: on days when I carried both tablet and netbook and stuffed it with everything else I needed to take to an all-day trade show, the bag eventually started feeling heavy. Campomaggi leather is top quality full grain leather that is thick, and therefore heavy: there is no way around that. But since I carry the vertical messenger bag cross-body, the weight, although noticeable, was certainly bearable. On a day-to-day basis when I carry it for shorter bursts at a time I don’t notice the bag’s weight at all. The other time when I felt that the bag did not perform was when I wanted to take my sweatshirt off and slip it in the COLOMBO: it did not fit. Although the bag carries everything I need, there is not room for additional bulky items.

As to the pros… they can be summed up quickly: I love the bag. First of all, it doesn’t feel like a purse and I am totally comfortable wearing it. Second, I think that it looks good hanging fairly low behind my hip. Third, did you see the leather? To touch it is a constant reward. It feels alive when I hold it, it basks in the sun when I open the trunk to get it and shines with richness of color. Anyone who knows something about leather is very impressed and compliments me. Finally, after four years the bag still performs like a new one: I mistreated it a few times (I seem to want to drive with the trunk locked around the cotton strap) and it is not showing any signs of wanting to fall apart. Some of the deeper scratches take a long time to go away and perhaps some will not, but they blend in so nicely and they are part of the story of me now: they are here to stay.

After owning my ALDO Leather Dress Belt for a few years, I found its quality so superior that I stopped wearing any other belt I owned. I soon realized that wearing a dress belt with jeans is not good for looks and it is not good for the wear and tear on the belt. So I set my eyes on the more casual LUCA Leather Belt but it was always close to going out of stock (I did not want to risk depriving our customers) as every time a new shipment would arrive from Italy the availability would appear to be just barely sufficient to meet demand. So I increased our order quantities and finally got enough belts to go around to feed my growing hunger for a LUCA. That’s when I realized that I had another problem: our smallest size was for a range of waist sizes from 32 to 37. My pants size is 31 and I don’t like the extremity of the belt to flap around too much.

I had to ponder the decision of adding a smaller belt size (30-35). Considering that it is becoming increasingly difficult to prevent a run up in my waist size, did I really want to get a size that would cause people like me to say: “maybe I should just get a 32?”

Luckily I brushed my hesitation aside and ordered the 30-35, which has just arrived. I waited for Anita’s stringent customs inspection to be complete (I’m referring to her quality control inspection) and I finally got to have my very own LUCA. This whole process took longer than a year!

I am thrilled with it so far, but I will write a report in a few weeks with all the details. For the time being enjoy the photo. Do you like my new Campomaggi bracelet?

February 25 is Marco Campomaggi‘s birthday. He turns 52 today! The reason why he put his birth date on the label is not to get birthday wishes every year but to express the fact that his bags are his creations, they express his creativity, which began when Marco was born.

Because we are, or at least think that we are, his number one fans in the world we have started sending him birthday wishes every year, partially to thank him for making our lives better. Our customers have joined us and we include their wishes along with ours. Marco has really appreciated this and says that despite having “25-02-1961” on every single label, nobody, except us, has, so far, used it as a yearly birthday reminder. That is a little surprising, and, knowing Marco’s modesty, it may be something he said just to keep the spotlight away.

Perhaps, next year, we can circulate a card among his fans so that we can deliver to Marco a card signed by his most passionate fans. If you like that idea, the place to go is the Fans of Campomaggi group on Facebook. You can also wish him happy birthday in the comments here!

Ever wanted to buy that nice Italian car you’ve been dreaming about? Well, I believe you are in luck! Last week, we received a Gianni shipment with some brand new products. Yes, including a car! We even held a Facebook contest giving away a free car key chain in the color of your choice (available in blue, red, green, white, black and yellow)! Big congratulations to Jennie for being the lucky winner!

Modeled after the Fiat 500, Gianni’s new car key chain takes you one step closer to owning a genuine Italian car. This surely is the case for me since I am a fan of the Fiat 500. If my dog could fit comfortably (and safely!) in a 500, that would be my “new car goal”. Did you know that a Fiat can make coffee for you right in your car? Well, it exists in an upgraded model, the 500L. Seems like the US is out of luck until it has been approved though, but hey, one can dream!

Ahh…Valentine’s Day. The day that represents love and all that embodies it. That much is true but depending on who you ask about the origins of Valentine’s Day, the stories may not be too consistent, if at all. One person may tell you that it all started with a priest by the name of Valentinus who held secretive wedding ceremonies for soldiers. Apparently, weddings and engagements were banned in fear of the soldiers getting distracted by such events. Another may tell you it all started with a pagan festival called Lupercalia, where men and women were paired. Either way, it has evolved into a day where couples, family and friends get together for fun festivities. What are the typical Valentine’s Day activities, you ask? Probably a romantic outing involving a bit of food, enjoying each other’s company and of course, gifts. Are you going to get your significant other the typical gifts of normal roses, heart shaped chocolates and whatnot? I don’t know about that.

If you want something a bit more creative and original but following the general theme of Valentine’s Day, I have some great ideas for you! Hand-picked roses? We have hand-molded ones! Hearts? We don’t skip a beat! Need something for the men? More paua to you! I hope you find something special that is dear to you. Happy Valentine’s Day!

The HOOKED ON LOVE Winged Heart Wall Hook should stay put on your wall and not fly away with your keys.

Does he (or she) desperately misplace his keys? I know that I had one place to put my keys and it worked most of the time. What got me to completely stop misplacing my keys (at least so far) was the addition of a DRIPPING SHELF by Antartidee. So dedicating a super cute hook to the task of reducing key misplacement panics might be a good idea for you too.

The HOOKED ON LOVE Winged Heart Hook sends a message that even the most difficult gift recipient should find agreeable: I got you something that signifies love and freedom, that looks terrific by the door, and that you will remember to use because it is so convenient. It comes with a little hook, which might symbolize that you are the one I kept! Kiss, kiss.

Wow, if I put it like that… I know someone who needs one. Happy Valentine’s Day everyone!